​With the Sharks returning to action this week after nearly 4 weeks break which after the amount of rain that we have had recently it is no surprise that we played this game on a decent 3G pitch. We only had one player missing this week and that was a Freddie who was called away on an important commercial shot that prevented him from attending. 
So, the Sharks lined up as follows, Dylan in goal, Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Jake, Caleb and Aidan, with Josh, Liam, and Harry starting on the bench.  With reg cards exchanged it was surprising to notice that they had 2 goalkeepers within their team, and with the last game between us going in the Sharks favour it could only mean that the opposition have managed to strengthen that position, this could be a testing game, and with the team not playing together for a while it was important that we stuck together and raised our game to get the desired result we wanted.
The game got underway at a hectic pace, with both teams trying to impose themselves on the game, but the sharks seemed to be getting the better of the early exchanges, with the midfield of Giacomo, Aidan, Caleb and Jack all pressing the play and giving the opposition very little time on the ball. 
Aidan and Caleb had started the game well, with Aidan playing some cracking through balls for Jake and Giacomo to run onto, and with Caleb doing a solid job on the left-hand side of midfield tracking back when needed as well pushing on when given the chance.  The Sharks managed to register the first shot on target with only 7/9 minutes played, the ball was played through by Jack to Giacomo who managed to get his shot in early only to be denied by a very good save from the opposition’s new goalkeeper. This set the tone for the opening 15 minutes, with Dylan being a spectator with very little to do, apart from taking goal kicks and running after the ball when the oppositions’ attacks where thwarted by the Sharks defence. 
The Sharks Managed to take the lead around the 17 minute mark, with the team playing well trying to pass the ball into space for the more attack minded players to score that first goal that we so richly deserved, and the break through came via the right foot of Giacomo, with Liam and Harry both doing well in midfield the ball was played forward to Giacomo. He managed to control the ball causing confusion in the oppositions’ defence before lashing home into the roof of the net giving the goalkeeper no chance to save it. 
With the lead the Sharks begun to forget once again that passing the ball is better than trying to run the length of the pitch with the ball and then getting caught out of position causing the Sharks a problem as the opposition was exploiting the space that was being left in behind them.
This made the Sharks look jaded, and we begun to bunch as everyone wanted to have the ball, we lost our shape and it begun to look a struggle. But thankfully the Sharks managed to get to half time still with the advantage that Giacomo had given us. 
With some small adjustments, and a reminder that the ball never gets tired, so that means that they need to pass the ball to each other more when we started the second half. 
It was a positive start for the Sharks again, but the opposition clearly had changed something as they were more of a threat going forward this half and Dylan was more involved, but on the whole the Sharks still looked comfortable and we were getting chances to extend our lead.  The Sharks were then awarded a penalty for hand ball in the box, Jack being the Sharks penalty taker, was given the responsibility of converting this chance. Jack’s track record is pretty good so we were confidant that this would continue, Jack placed the ball and struck it, but missed the target on this occasion. Fortunately the Sharks didn’t have to wait much longer before extending their lead. 
With the game remaining close the chances were still falling to both teams, but the Sharks then managed to extend the lead with about 10/15minutes gone of the second, with some good defensive work from Harry and Elliott, the ball broke to Jack who controlled it well, skipped a challenge, before playing a great through ball to Jake, who deceived one defender before rounding another with the goal at his mercy, he slotted the ball home fantastically well giving the goalkeeper no chance to prevent it from going in. 
This seemed to boast the Sharks and deflate the opposition at the same time, and with 7/8minutes remaining it seemed like it was going to be a positive result for the Sharks.  With everyone playing their part the Sharks look strong, even though a little ring rusty because they haven’t played together for a while.  It was pleasing to see the boys apply themselves in this way. 
The Sharks weren’t finished with the goal scoring, as they managed to add another through Jack, making up for the penalty miss earlier, with more good work though Aidan, Josh, Liam and Elliott the ball broke to Jack, who was about 15 yards from goal, rather than striking the ball cleanly Jack toe poked the ball goalward as hard as he could and it did the trick, as it evaded everyone even the goalkeeper who just let it slip past him without even trying to stop it.  He must have been unsighted because the opposition goalkeeper had proved that he was a very good keeper and this type of effort normally wouldn’t have beaten him. 
With the game now settled, it was now about keeping a clean sheet for Dylan, but unfortunately the Sharks were not able to do so, with the dying seconds left on the clock the opposition managed to score, to be honest they deserved it with their team spirt and fight, and their never give up approach. 
So the Sharks remain unbeaten, and we look forward to next week with figures crossed that the bad weather and rain has stopped and we can continue this great run of form. 

​The Sharks were approaching this game off the back of a 5 game winning streak, but this game was going to be a tougher test than the week before, as we have played this oppositions a number of times now and have had mixed results.  Our recent match ended with the Sharks being victorious so pay back was going to be on the cards know doubt. 
With this is mind the Sharks were raring to go, they had showed a good attitude during training the day before and the warm up was positive too, which was pleasing to see. 
 
So the Sharks started as follows, Dylan in Goal, Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Jake, Freddie and Liam, with Aidan, Josh, Caleb and Harry on the bench. As I say in all of my match reports the lads on the bench are just as important to the team as the players starting the game, but they are providing fresh legs, and effort. 
 
The game got underway with a bang, and I mean with a bang, with minutes of the KO, Liam was subjected to a crunching tackle which shook him up, and hurt his left ankle to a point where I had to replace him with Harry. The game continued in similar fashion, with the opposition using the physical side to try and unsettle the Sharks. But the boys were handling it well: Jack was riding challenges, Elliott was being robust, Freddie was also putting his foot in when it counted, Giacomo was being tested with tackles that were nipping at his ankles and testing his temperament. 
 
With about 10 minutes played the opposition was awarded a penalty, I thought that the award of the penalty was slightly harsh as Jack challenged for the ball. But the penalty stood and now we had to deal with that regardless of the outcome. 
 
So this was now a one on one challenge between the opposition attacker and Dylan, I had faith in Dylan but normally the ball hits the back of the net, so the opposition attacker stepped up a struck the ball well but dragged the ball wide and Dylan guessed and dived the right direction, but the ball hit the post and rebounded across the goal line, Dylan then had the quickness of thought not to knock the ball into the net but to grab it before everyone piled in to try and score. So a massive well done to Dylan. 
 
This gave the boys a massive life, especially Dylan banging his chest as if he was Braveheart emerging victories from battle.  So the game remained level and the Sharks then started taking the game to the opposition, again dealing with some robust tackles but the boys will have to learn to deal with these types of games and this will give them good experience. 
 
The Sharks then got their first corner of the game after about 15minutes, Jack as normal stepped up and took it, it was a great corner, the ball was floated in directly under the oppositions goalkeepers cross bar, this caused confusion and panic as everyone attempted to get the telling touch, it is hard to say who got the final touch but Jack’s delivery was fantastic so credit has to go to him. 
 
This took the wind out of the opposition as I believe they thought that they were getting on top, the Sharks’ midfield was playing brilliantly:   Harry was picking the ball up and running with it, Gicaomo was everywhere as normal, closing down tackling and looking composed on the ball, Freddie was fantastic, hold the ball up, shielding the ball when needed and getting stuck in too. 
 
The Sharks then managed to double their lead through Giacomo once again, the ball was played by Elliott at the back up the righthand side of midfield, Freddie collected the ball who then attempted to pass the ball to Giacomo, who burst through the middle of the park to SLAM the ball into the back of the net, it was the reward that he deserved. 
 
With the first half coming to an end the opposition had another chance to score and was once again stopped by Jack and Elliott who was now marshalling our defence brilliantly. 
 
After the half time whistle went, I managed to get the boys to relax and calm down after discussing the penalty miss, it was a quick reminder that this game was not over and that we were to expect more of the same regarding the physical side of the game. 
 
So the Sharks took to the field for the 2nd half and the team was full of confidence, and were determined to extend their lead and this dually came after some brave tackling in the middle of the park from Jack, Giacomo and Freddie. Freddie might be a slight lad but when the red mist descends there is no holding that boy back, and this was the case on this occasion. He broke the play up brilliantly and played a neat ball through for Giacomo who raced through on goal and smartly finished giving the keeper no chance.  
With the game now getting away from the opposition, frustration was beginning to set in, and this lead to our next goal. 
 
Liam was once again on the end of a crunching tackle which drew a free kick just meters away from the penalty box, this was within the range of Jack, and the way that he was striking the ball today I had no doubt that he was going to have a shot on goal.  That is exactly what happened, he struck the shot very sweetly, and it raced towards the goal, the opposition goal keeper did very well in stopping the shot from distance, but only pushed the ball back out into play, and Giacomo’s reaction was fabulous, striking the ball on the volley to send the ball back into an unguarded net, this goal effectively finished the game as the oppositions heads dropped.
 
This enabled me to rotate some of the players once more, Jack by this time wasn’t 100% so I managed to take him off to give him a break, Jake retreated and played last man, with Elliott playing in the defensive role, with Aidan now playing on the right, Caleb on the left and Freddie up front. 
 
With about 10minutes remaining we changed this up again, this time I was able to bring off Elliott, to give him a rest as he had put in a shift this afternoon and he also had been on the end of some solid challenges that were completely fair.  With Jake now playing at the other end of the pitch he was doing a great job at keeping the opposition at bay, with Harry sitting in front of him, only on two occasions did the opposition manage to break our defensive line, but was brilliantly thwarted by Dylan.  One with a great catch, and the other with a diving save at the oppositions feet. I really think that the goal keeper training is starting to bear some fruit and Dylan and the Sharks are benefiting from that. Also I can see a marked improvement with Dylan’s kicking from hand, it is covering more distance and giving the defence a chance to reclaim the ball and start attacks higher up the pitch. 
 
With time drawing to a close the Sharks managed to score another goal, and this is the sweetest one on the all, the ball was played to Josh up the line from Jake, Josh let the ball run across his body and then he ran onto it, with his determination he managed to squeeze the ball to the on rushing Harry who evaded a challenge and then drove in to the box before slotting home for his first goal for the Sharks this season, it was nice to see that every player went to Harry and congratulated him after he scored. 
 
With the final whistle blown, the Sharks had managed to keep a clean sheet and score a number of good goals against a strong team that we respected. 
 
A massive well done to every single lad that played today, with each player giving a 100% and overcoming the physical side of the game, it is something that the Sharks are not shy of, but we do not come up against many teams that are able to compete with us in that way. 
So thank you to all the parents that came out this afternoon, and supported the Sharks and myself. It is a pleasure watching these lads grow as people as well as football players.  
 
So now onto next week and another challenge, but I know that every lad will be looking forward to it and let’s hope that we are able to continue our winning run.

With the Sharks looking to continue their winning streak, and to keep the boys playing this weekend I was forced to flip our home fixture to be played away again, so a massive thanks to the opposition’s manager for helping to make this possible.
 
The Sharks had a full team available, with no underwear shoots booked, or nails to be polished the boys were raring to go to try and extend our winning run.  We were faced again with a team that had come down from the league above, so we were expecting a tough afternoon ahead of us. 
 
The Sharks starting line-up was as follows, Dylan in goal, Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Jake, Freddie and Aidan with Harry, Josh, Liam and Caleb all starting from the bench. As I have said in my previous reports, I try and keep a balanced team and bench as to not effect how we play during the game.
 
As the Sharks were about to take the field of play, it was brought to my attention that Elliott’s boot had developed an issue, quite literally Elloitt’s sole of his boot was hanging off! This gave us an issue as really the footwear was not suitable nor safe to play in. So an emergency call went out to the parents on the side-lines to see if anyone had some good old gaffer tape available so we could do some pitch side repairs.  ‘60-minute make over’ eat your heart out as this was going to have to be done very quickly. 
 
The game started, and Elliott was on the field of play with his sole half hanging off or on! depending how you want to look at this.  But only after a couple of minutes the magic gaffer tape arrived, Elliott came off to have his boot repaired at the pitch side. While Elliott was off he was replaced by Harry who has proven that he is more than able to fill a void left by either Jack or Elliott, so a massive well done to him,  it became clear though that once again this opposition was not going to create too many issue for Sharks as we took an early lead through Jake, he clearly has found his goal scoring touch again, which is pleasing to see.  The goal was created through hard work and closing the ball down quickly, Giacomo as normal was closing everything down, with Jack now starting to support him better and also picking up the loose balls and trying to create something from a more advanced role. 
 
With the Sharks now leading, we started to dominate the game, and really get on top of the opposition. With Freddie doing an excellent job on the left of midfield, holding his position and breaking into the box, this was causing the opposition problems as they didn’t know how to pick him up, Freddie is learning and progressing at an excellent rate, his ability to hold players off and make a telling pass is top notch and very pleasing to see, and this was the main reason for the Sharks doubling their lead. Freddie held the ball in a tight situation that lead to the Sharks getting an attacking corner, this was taken by Jack who played a delightful ball into the box that bounced through to Elliott, who managed to turn his shot goal wards, but was blocked and it fell to Giacomo, always lurking and he stabbed the ball home from close range.
 
Now the Sharks had a cushion, we were able to make changes, and give some players a rest and swap a few positions around to giving everyone a chance to play as much as they could. 
 
The Sharks extended their lead again through Jake, but it could easily have been Aidan’s goal too.  Jake was the player that took charge and turned the ball into the net to extend our lead. This came about because of Liam, Jack, Giacomo and Aidens’ hard work to keep possession and pass the ball when needed.   As I said Aidan was unlucky not to have scored this goal, he has the ability to be a great player for the Sharks but just needs to understand and demand the ball when he wants it and also to go for it when the chance presents itself but I have no doubt this will come. 
 
With the Sharks now cruising, the lads started to run with the ball again rather than passing the ball, it is something that needs to stop because it creates frustration between the boys as everyone wants to get on the scoresheet and play for themselves rather than all pulling in the same direction and playing for the team.  So when the half time whistle went it was very well received.  It gave us a chance to remind the boys that they will all get their chance if they passed the ball and play football. 
 
 As the second half got underway, the Sharks went straight after the opposition looking for more goals, and after reminding the lads that they need to pass more, they looked composed and threatening every time they attacked the opposition goal. Giacomo managed to grab his second of the game, with a strong solo run through the middle of the park and a calm finish. This then prompted a race to see who would be scoring their hatrick. This had made the game safe and the boys seemed to relax even more, which was a positive thing, but the Sharks were still defending strongly with some tough tackling from Jack and Elliott keeping the opposition at bay. 
 
With the Sharks rotating positions, and allowing some of the lads to express themselves more I was able to swap Elliott into a more attacking role, and this proved fruitful straight away.  Being supported by Caleb, Freddie and Josh, Elliott powered into the box and lashed the ball home for his first of the game which he was delighted with,  Once again Aidan was doing a fine job on the right of midfield taking players on and driving at the opposition’s defence which was pleasing to see as this is what I want from him. 
 
As the game was under control, I was able to let Dylan come out of goal and give him a run out on pitch and replace him with Jack who is always a willing keeper. The positions of the players had now changed but not the level of effort, everyone was trying extremely hard too and the Sharks still managed to score a few more goals which was pleasing to see. 
 
It was Jake that managed to complete his hatrick with a great team goal, Josh was involved along with Aidan and Caleb, it is good to see the beaming smile that comes across Jakes face when he scores a goal.  After scoring that goal it was all change again for the lads, I switched Jake to defence to allow Elliott to push upfront, Harry played in Jack’s position as a defence midfielder, Aidan was given the task of playing in the attacking midfield role, with Elliott pushing upfront.
By doing this confusion was created, not only for the opposition but also the Sharks, as we haven’t swapped positions that many times in one game, but it was a joy to see all the lads smiling and enjoying themselves. 
 
It was the turn of Freddie to get onto the score sheet, a typical goal from my fox in the box, the ball broke lose in box after Elliott charged into the box before being tackled, the ball broke to Freddie who made the mistake of stabbing the ball home from close range.  
The opposition then managed to pull a goal back, I felt to Jack.  As it was a windy day and the ball was cleared up field and goal wards, Jack appeared to have everything covered but misjudged the flight of the ball and it drifted into our net over his head, slightly disappointing but nothing was going to change the result of the game, so we will put that down to bad luck and move on. 
 
This goal against seemed to spur the boys on as we managed to add another two goals to the score line, with Liam scoring from close range, a deserved gaol for all of his hard work and effort during this game.  And with a minute remaining Elliott managed to get his second of the game, deserved for the effort that he has been showing on the pitch recently. 
 
So the Sharks have won again, and this makes the fifth win on the bounce, a great effort from a great set of lads that represent the Dunmow United Sharks.

This week the Sharks were still on a high from the convincing win the previous week.  It was a mid-morning KO and everybody was in a good mood. Dylan had returned after a missed training session and was due to have a late fitness test.  Unfortunately Harry was once again called for a photo shoot that meant that he was unavailable for today’s game. 
 
The Sharks started as follows, Dylan having passed his late fitness test he started in goal once again. Followed by Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Jake, Caleb, and Freddie filling the starting 7 places which meant that Liam, Aidan and Josh all started from the bench. Once again, we were assigned what appeared to be a official looking ref which was pleasing to see, as I knew this game was going to be closely fought as we just about overcome the same opposition no more than 4 weeks previous.
 
The Sharks started brightly but didn’t have a lot of the ball to show for their efforts, it was looking like this was going to be a tough morning for the boys.  The opposition showed a lot of respect for the Sharks by keeping two defenders back at all times, this gave me hope, as currently the Sharks were not stringing many passes together and playing into the opposition’s hands to often. After about 5/10 minutes the Sharks managed to get to grips with the game, Jack was trying to play the ball wide and up the wings when possible, Elliott was also trying to show his ability on the ball by trying to playing out from the back, but on occasions they were being tackled and caught on the ball when the simple pass would have done the job. Giacomo was once again being busy in the middle of the park but was not really getting that much joy. Freddie was finding it hard to get himself involved in the game, because I was asking him to hold his position out wide trying to get them to stretch the play and create space for other players.  The same could be said for Caleb on the other side of midfield, he was battling hard but wasn’t really getting much joy, and Jake in his attempts to get the ball was dropping too deep into midfield leaving the Sharks with no outlet ball when the ball was played up field.
 
After some encouraging words from the side lines, Jake adjusted his position to provide an outlet, Elliott and Jack started passing the ball out from the back a little more which gave Freddie some more ball, that enabled him to use his quick feet to try and create for the forward running players.  The Sharks managed to then take the lead, this was through some excellent work from Liam who by this point had come on to the field of play along with Josh and Aidan.  Liam picked the ball up on the left-hand side of midfield and drove with the ball up the wing, this put the Sharks in a more advanced position and enabled us to build our attacks further up the pitch. The opposition were defending well but only managed to half clear their lines.  The ball broke to Gaicomo close to the oppositions penalty area, he drove into the box before unleashing thunderous shot into the roof of the net giving the oppositions goalkeeper no chance of saving it. 
 
With the Sharks leading, you could see the belief in the lads that they could go on to win this game comfortably, but this was a dangerous thing, as rather than holding our shape everyone decided that they wanted to get themselves on the scoresheet.  This meant that we were leaving ourselves open at the back and giving the opposition forwards the freedom they wanted as well as the space they needed.  With this the opposition they managed to draw themselves level, with the ball once again bouncing around in the middle of the park.  The opposition played a neat through ball, which cut out our defence completely and allowed one of the opposition forward to charge in on goal with both Elliott and Jack giving chase.  With the ball getting closer to Dylan I was expecting him to come and claim the ball as it was getting close enough for him to do so, but he choose to stay on his line instead and the ball trickled into our net uncontested.  A disappointing goal to concede and Dylan was upset about this and threw his cap down in disgust. This will be a mental challenge now for Dylan as goalkeepers have a thankless task of being either the hero or the villain, but I am very grateful to Dylan for playing in goal full time. 
 
So, with the scores level and the game evenly balanced, the Sharks managed to pull ahead again through Jake this time.  It is good to see that Jake has found his goal scoring touch again as the effort that he shows deserves a reward, and todays goal was his fourth in two games.  The build-up play was again good, with some good work from Jack, Giacomo and Freddie all playing their part in creating the chance for Jake which he took with great glee. 
 
As the first half came to a close the Sharks were leading, I expected the opposition to come back at us again.  We have learnt that we have to keep playing until the final whistle. 
So, the second half got under way and the Sharks looked in a dominate mood with Aidan now finding his feet and running down the right wing effortlessly, taking people on, drawing fouls. He will soon become a very important player, and the best thing about this that he wants to and can also score goals.
 
The Sharks managed to score another goal doubling our advantage, this was directly down to Aidan, working hard, getting the ball and playing a great through ball that fell to Giacomo.  He made no mistakes by planting his shot wide of the goalkeeper and making that his second goal of the game. 
 
This seemed to stun the opposition, and they retreated further back into their own half which in turn gave the Sharks the space they needed to exploit whilst looking for another goal, and this dually came via Jake and his right foot. This was his second goal of the game and fifth in two games so again a massive well done. 
 
The opposition then had a rare chance to grab a goal back, but thanks to Dylan’s brillant save we manager to keep our advantage as it was.  With some words of encouragement, and a reminder that we had to keep our shape we were able to make changes to both positions, and the players on the pitch.
 
Josh is continuing to develop and is making steady progress, Caleb is also becoming a valuable member of the team, with his ability to be able to play in a number of positions. 
 
With the team reshaped the Sharks were awarded a penalty for a foul in the oppositions box, it was the right decision but also good play from the lads, as they kept the pressure on and retained the ball in the box drawing the foul.   As Jack has been given the duty of penalty taker, he placed the ball down, waited for the Ref to indicate that he was allowed to take and  he then took the penalty well, dispatching the ball perfectly into the back of the net with a clean strike of the ball. 
 
With only minutes remaining in the second half the Sharks were controlling the game well, the score line was a fair reflection on their performance, if anything the score line could have been greater, but some good saves from the oppositions goal keeper meant we had to settle for what we had already achieved. 
 
So, the game finished and the Sharks had won again, the boys must be enjoying this winning streak as much as I am. So, we move onto next week full of confidence, and looking to continue this run. 
 
Thanks again to all the parents for bringing and supporting the boys, it is great seeing them develop and improve their own games. 
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​The Sharks were returning after a confidence boasting comeback-victory last week that took courage, bravery and belief to achieve. We were now faced with another challenge, having to play our home fixture away from home, and with an early start and a fair distance to travel I want to say a big thank you to my parents for the great turn out,  and to the opposition for allowing us to do this otherwise I wouldn’t be writing this match report but entering a postponement instead. 
It is a rare event that we have every Shark available this weekend, so the starting lineup is as follows: the returning Dylan in goal (welcome back), Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Jake, Freddie and Caleb, which means Liam, Josh, Harry and Aidan will be starting from the bench this week.  I just want to stress, with the boys who start from the bench it isn’t that they are playing badly or not valued but it is an opportunity to have a strong bench that enables me to balance the team as best as I can.
With the wind blowing and a low sun, the Sharks kicked off the first half looking to extend their winning run, we were expecting a tough game as this was the first time that we were playing this team who had just moved into our league from the one above.
The game started well, with Giacomo being ‘work man like’ in the middle of the park, closing players down and creating space for others too. The Sharks were on top during the early exchanges creating good chances for Freddie, Jake and Giacomo;  Jake and Elliott looking solid at the back; Jack was pushing forward supporting Giacomo well, filling in the gaps that were being left and tiding up if and when needed.  Caleb was being disciplined, holding his position well and covering defensive duties when we had an attacking corner. 
The Sharks took an early lead through Jake, it was smart play from Aidan that helped create this, he broke the play up well holding onto the ball before passing to Giacomo who created the space that Jake run onto before receiving his pass.  He controlled the ball well before lashing the ball into the back on the net.  A great start especially for Jake, as he really needed that goal to help his confidence. 
As the game settled into a good pattern, the Sharks were becoming dominant making Dylan a spectator at points during the first half. The Sharks then doubled their lead through Aidan, I cannot tell you how happy it makes me that Aidan managed to score his second goal for the Sharks this season.  He took it well.  He won the ball fair and square via a 50/50 challenge, strided into the box before hitting a crisp shot that ended in the back of the net. This put the Sharks into a commanding position.
As the game continued, the same pattern was shaping up.  I believe the boys sensed that there were goals to be scored and they began running with the ball rather than passing and moving into space as they should have been doing. 
As the first half was coming to a close, the Sharks managed to triple their lead.  This time it was a scrappy goal. This came about because the lads refused to let the opposition have time on the ball that they wanted, they fought for everything that became lose, and with that determination the ball broke to Laim who stabbed the ball home.  
With seconds remaining of the first half, Giacomo burst through the middle of the park, he was bearing down on goal, and was just about to take his shot when his chance was snatched away from him by the half time whistle.  This was a shame because I had no doubts that Giacomo would have extend our lead further. 
With a quick pep talk, reminding them all to PASS the ball and not to just run with it the Sharks took to the field for the second half.  As the second half begun, it was clear that the Sharks were too strong on this particular day, because within the first 5 minutes the Sharks managed to add another couple of goals making the score line look very one sided, these goals were added by Giacomo, and Freddie, both were scored from close range. 
In an attempt to give some of the Sharks who it needed more playing time, I was able to reshape the team to give them a chance and also give some of the lad’s different roles so they could express themselves without having defensive responsibility. 
Now with the team reshaped and still having a strong balance, the Sharks managed to add more goals to the score line.  This time Jake scored another well taken goal. Then Aidan scored again, his second in the game, this came from a corner that the keeper failed to hold onto that Aidan was able to volley home from close range.  
The opposition were trying extremely hard to get onto the score, and were starting to get some joy, but when they did breach our defensive line we were thankful for Dylan who managed to pull off a good save. 
The Sharks then added another couple of goals, these were from Giacomo, his second of the game, and Freddie, once again scoring two within one game. So we had four players who had scored two goals each, Giacomo, Freddie, Aidan and Jake, but who would manage to get their hat trick.
With the result now safe and the game effectively over, I was able to make further changes to the team, still keeping a good balance.  The opposition then managed to pull a goal back, with a good shot that Dylan managed to get a hand to but could not stop completely.  The ref made the decision that the ball had crossed the line and gave the goal, if the ball crossed the line or not I am not 100% sure, but I was happy for the opposition who to their credit never gave up and deserved something from this game.
With the team, now reshaped, and Elliott playing in a more advanced role, the Sharks added another goal from the boot of Elliott, which was well laid on by Giacomo, Giacomo had a chance for the hat trick but was unselfish and played through to Elliot instead.  Well done young man. 
Then came the moment of the match, where poor Harry managed to do a Steven Gerrard:  He was in complete control, but the vital moment when he was only a few yard off his attacker he turned sharply and slipped over allowing the attacker to race clean through in on goal to score.  There was no doubting this time that the ball had crossed the line. 
With the game coming to a close it was Jake that managed to claim the honor of scoring his third goal of the game.  Jack broke play up again, and attempted a long range effort, with the wind holding the ball up, Jake stole in front of the goal keeper and got his head to the ball, this sent the ball up and over the goal keeper for a great goal. 
The game closed with a convincing win, every lad played really well, Josh is starting to show signs that he is adjusting to a bigger pitch, Harry is improving week upon week.  Well done to all of the lads that scored, but it was a team effort and without everybody involved this result could not have been achieved.  
Thank you to all you parents once again for your support to the boys and myself, you are the people that make this team.  

​The Sharks were coming into this first game of 2020 off the back of a good hard fought victory. With the shuffling of leagues, it was all change for the second half of the season. Regardless of the opposition the Sharks were positive of getting an another victory.  The news that Dylan was not able to play due to an injury was not ideal, but we would reshuffle things and try our best regardless.  So we started the game as follows. Jack in goal (to start with at least) Elliott, Aidan, Giacomo, Liam, Jake, Freddie with Caleb, Josh and Harry starting from the bench. 
The game started and the Sharks were a little off tune.   I put this down to the change in positions and the Christmas break rather than the opposition forcing the Sharks into mistakes. The Sharks didn’t have good shape and the midfield were not tracking back as well as they should have, but with that said, the Sharks managed to have the first effort on goal.  This came from an ambitious effort from Liam, collecting the ball well from Giacomo, taking a player on and having a shot when the chance presented itself to him.    
After only 5 minutes the Sharks were behind, this was due to a good move from the opposition that isolated Elliott and took him out of the game.   Elliott wasn’t able to recover and the opposition scored past Jack who tried his best to stop it but without much luck. 
The Sharks now had to draw themselves level, and they set about the task brilliantly with efforts from Giacomo, Liam, Freddie and Elliott all testing the oppositions goal keeper, but unfortunately with no goal to show for it.  As it looked like we were going to draw level the opposition managed to extend their lead again. The Sharks were out of position, and not holding the correct shape, letting the opposition have space they needed.  But either way they still had to score which they did.  
The Sharks now found themselves a couple of goals adrift and I felt that this was going to be one of those days that things were not going to go our way.  This was only highlighted by a penalty appeal being waved away.  I think VAR might have had something to say about that if that was in use. So the Sharks continued to ask more questions knowing that one goal before half time was going to make all the difference. But the goal went in the oppositions favor, with some bright play and a neat finish.  The Sharks had a mountain to climb as the first half came to a close.   
I must mention Harry now. He had to came on very early into the first half and play a position that is normally played very well by Jack.  Harry managed brilliantly, putting in every ounce of effort that he had; running, tackling back, not giving up when he lost the ball and making life hard for the opposition, preventing them from scoring as best he could  Of that alone he should be super proud of himself. 
Liam took over in goal and Jack come out onto pitch. The half time chat was brief but simply, ‘Do not concede another goal!’, and try and claw our way back into this game. 
Just as the second half got underway, the Sharks conceded another goal, just to make our challenge even more interesting. So we had to score multiple goals to even think about drawing level let alone winning it. 
Now the tale of the second half really got underway.  With Jack and Elliott resuming their normal positions the Sharks finally started to look like an attacking threat, with Freddie playing some smart through balls that both Jake and Giacomo were running on to. Caleb, Harry, Jack and Elliott were all breaking up the play brilliantly, Josh was entering the field and making an impact, he is also doing more running and applying more pressure where he can. 
The break though finally happened when Giacomo scored his first of the game with some bright play by Aidan who had returned to playing on the right hand side of midfield, collecting the ball holding o ff a player and passing the ball into space. The ball broke to Giacomo who drove towards goal before slotting home nicely. 
The recovery was underway, and it appeared that the boys believed that to be the case too, we were now defending better and trying to pass the ball more. Elliott was making impressive runs which was causing real trouble for the opposition, and this was how our next goal came about.  An impressive run and pass, leading to the ball falling at Freddie’s feet, and my little fox in the box didn’t let me down. He slid the ball into the back of the net to halve the oppositions lead.  The opposition management sensed that the comeback was on, as they changed shape to try restrict the Sharks and prevent us from scoring again. 
Within 3 minutes of the Sharks halving the lead they managed to claw another goal back, this was scored by Giacomo again, bursting through the middle and holding off a challenge before finishing well.  This goal gave the Sharks a massive lift and belief that we could win this game, it was now becoming a race against time as we were entering the final 10 minutes. 
The Sharks had a massive effort denied by a good save from the keeper, the cross bar and the roof of the net. Elliott struck his shot so true that everybody was surprised not to see the net ripple, I think it hit the goal keeper, the underside of the cross bar then the net before the opposition goal keeper clawed it back out… this was a shame as Elliott deserved that, but minutes later the Sharks had drawn level through another goal from Freddie, an amazing effort by all. 
The ball was played into the box, then after a short scrabble landed in Freddie’s path who stabbed the ball into the back of the net. The lads were over joyed to be level, but they weren’t finished there.  The opposition could not believe that the Sharks had managed to claw themselves back into this game.  The Sharks went about trying to now win the game, an unbelievable thought at the start of the second half, and the come back was complete. Giacomo popped up with the winning strike, his third goal of the game and we had no more than a minute to hold on to this great result which the Sharks managed to do. 
This has to go down as one of the best games the Sharks have had!  We were dead and buried after the first half, but the boys pulled together and got the result they deserved for their effort and courage they had shown. 
Once again thanks or the fantastic support from you parents, this team wouldn’t be anything without you guys. 
So onto next week in high spirts. Well done Sharks.

With this being the last game before Christmas and a first away game for 5 weeks we were looking to make amends for a narrow defeat the previous week.  With only Harry not available due to endorsement commitments the Sharks had a full strength team.  The Sharks starting lineup was as follows; Dylan in Goal, Elliott, Jack, Freddie, Jake, Liam and Aidan, which meant that Josh, Giacomo, and Caleb all started on the bench. 
With a professional looking ref inspecting each goal as they were placed the game kicked off at its assigned time.  The boys started very brightly doing most of the running in the first 5 minutes, with both Elliott and Jack looking solid, Freddie working neatly in the attacking midfield role, Aidan showing quick feet and body strength, and Liam showing his normal battling nature down the left hand side. 
As the game progressed, the opposition managed to work their way into the game, especially one of the forward players who was impressive.  He was managing to give Elliott the run around with his ability to keep the ball close and twist away from Elliott when he tried to tackle him.  This was one of main reasons why the opposition managed to take the lead. 
The ball was played into an attacking area by the opposition,  Elliot went in to challenge them but was left chasing his tail by the attacking player after a neat turn.  This then brought Jack into play. Both Elliott and Jack have a good understanding of covering each other; Jack made up the required ground, put in an attempt to block the shot, he failed the opposition player in the box and gave away a penalty.  This was the first meaningful attack by the opposition who took the penalty well and scored.  This was hard to swallow as this meant that the Sharks had to fight their way back into the game once more. 
We didn’t have to wait long for the game to draw level, the Sharks were applying pressure and getting some success down the wings.  Jake seems to enjoy the role of winger at the moment. He was collecting the ball, cutting inside and out before delivering good crosses into the box.  If it wasn’t for not being able to control the football, the Sharks  would probably have drawn level earlier and taken the lead, but this is something that we can work on in the new year. 
As the pressure continued to build, the Sharks scored past another impressive goal keeper. Giacomo played a neat pass to Aidan who managed to get the ball back to him, enabling Giacomo to break through the defensive line and thump his shot into the roof of the net giving the keeper no chance.  
With the Sharks now level we began to apply more pressure giving us more chances to score.  But again we faced with another outstanding goal keeper who managed to save most things that came his way.  I had a sinking feeling that it was going to prove a frustrating morning, but I was proud of the way the boys stuck to the task of trying to gain the lead. 
We had another glorious chance, this time from a free kick, it was roughly 15/20 yards out, pretty much central but slightly to the left hand side and Jack was tasked with taking it. Jack took aim and had a great shot, it was destined to go into the top corner, but was well saved and the rebound bounced to safety for a corner.  The first half finished with the Sharks doing all of the pushing; Josh making an impact, doing more running and more hassling than seen before, so a massive well done to him, Caleb again being disciplined and tackling back and forth, and filling in for Elliott when he goes for corners proving his value to the team.     
With the second half underway, the normal pattern resumed, the Sharks pinned the opposition back and limited the amount of attacks they had.  Credit must be given to all of the team as they worked so hard and well together. 
With the game looking more than likely to be a draw, the opposition gave the Sharks a wakeup call.  They broke through the middle of the park catching both Jack, Elliott and Giacomo out of position  The attacking player was bearing down on goal, we were looking to Dylan to save the day, but to the managements horror Dylan had his back turned to the play and was walking around in a circle trying to keep himself amused as the Sharks were dominating the game. With the management telling Dylan to face the play NOW the attacker was put off and struck the ball but it hit the post and bounced to safety  This was a massive relief to everyone connected to the Sharks, Dylan must have been a cat in a previous life because he used a life up then for sure.
With time running down, another free kick was given to the Sharks. Once again Jack was charged with hitting the target from distance, and he did not disappoint and this time the Sharks made sure that we had bodies around the goal keeper, so if he saved it, it might present a chance to the waiting players.  The keeper saved well like before, but this time it fell to Freddie, he took a touch, but was block off, so Giacomo tried his luck, and somehow the ball managed to wriggle past the post for a goal kick. 
Now the game was entering the last 5 minutes a chance presented itself to Giacomo, a poor goal kick resulted in Jack challenging him for the ball, the ball then broke to Giacomo and with the opposition’s goal keeper out of position, Giacomo tried his luck and shot from distance  The ball bounced and bobbled its way into the back of the net giving the Sharks a deserved lead with only a number of minutes left to play. The Sharks changed formation to secure the result. 
The Sharks finished the game as we had played it…on top!  This had been an entertaining game, that could have gone either way, but glad it went our way as I felt that we deserved it with the amount of effort that the boys had put in.
So we finished before Christmas with a victory, and a well-deserved break for both players and parents. 
As always thanks for all your help and effort, the Sharks would not be a team if it wasn’t for the parents and the boys.  Have a great time and I will see you all in the new year.    

​On Sunday morning for a change and our last home game before Christmas, the Sharks were looking to return to winning ways after a battling performance the week previous that earned us a draw.
This week our goal keeper Dylan was called up, therefore wasn’t available for selection so a stand in goal keeper was required.  That honor fell to Liam, normally our effective left midfield player. 
So the Sharks lined up this week as follows. Liam in goal. Elliott, Jack, Giacomo, Jake, Freddie and Caleb with Josh and Aidan starting on the bench.    
As the game got underway, the Sharks looked to take control of the game early on, passing the ball better than they normally do, and trying to work as a team, as the pitch remained bad and heavy, which was making the conditions testing.  It became clear early on that the opposition had a great goalkeeper, small in size but with plenty character and was collecting and saving everything that was coming his way. 
The Sharks formation was causing the opposition trouble, we were over loading the midfield and stopping them from playing the ball into attacking positions. As the first half was about 15mins old, the Sharks had registered a number of shots on target but the opposition goal keeper was up to the task, so it seemed that being patient and to continue pressing appeared to be in order. 
The opposition managed to pull ahead through a mistake at the back by Jack, he tried to be creative in a dangerous position, if it would have come off would have been brilliant, but as it didn’t it was egg on your face time, which meant that Jack and Elliott were both caught out of position and the opposition attacker had a free run on goal.  He remained calm and placed the ball just wide of Liam who was impressing in goal.  This meant that the Sharks had to come from a goal down, not for the first time so everybody was remaining calm and we kept trying to play football as best as we could to draw level. 
But as stated, the Sharks were enjoying a plenty of position and chances, but we were being rebuffed by this fantastic goalkeeper.  Jake, Giacomo, Freddie, Jack and Elliott all having efforts on target but were all stopped and saved brilliantly. 
The game was becoming a little physical, with players being fouled and complaining of fouls that was being committed and tempers were beginning to get thin with a number of the Shark players. So the first half finished with the Sharks trailing but everybody thought that it was something that could be turned around. 
The second half started, and the Sharks once again pushed on to find an equalizer that would draw the game level. But the opposition continued with the physical approach to the game and on a select number of Shark players too, it became clear that tempers were beginning to go, and steps had to be taken to calm the situation. 
 As tensions began to raise between the players the opposition managed to extend their lead, it was harsh for the Sharks to concede, Liam pulled off a great save, but the ball dropped perfectly for the opposition attacker who didn’t need a second invitation to slot the ball home. 
The Sharks continued to pond the oppositions goal, but as before the goalkeeper was having an outstanding game.  If it wasn’t for the oppositions goalkeeper I am comfortable in saying that the Sharks would have been well in the lead and the game would have been over, but this wasn’t the case and a lesson that needed to learnt from this was the Sharks need to be more clinical in front of goal when faced with a good goalkeeper and to be able to work themselves into better positions to shoot from.
 As the game drew to a close, it was a valuable lesson that the boys need to take note from.  Sometime you do not get what you deserve with the effort that you have put in, but we will certainly need to keep applying ourselves like this, and we will win more games than we lose. 
A special mention has to be given to all of the boys this week, due to testing conditions that they played in:  Liam showed great character to go into goal when not feeling 100% and he should feel proud of his performance, Elliott as always was again big and strong, and rose to the physical challenge that was presented to him, Jack remained deft and skillful while also raising to the challenge when the time came. Giacomo battled away through testing conditions, he tried to play football in the right way whenever possible, Caleb played brilliantly, tracking back and being disciplined when needed and also rising to the challenge, Aidan also remained skillful under the pressure that was applied to him, producing good crosses and passes too, Freddie showed that he was able to adapt and play another position when required, keeping calm under pressure too, Josh tried his hardest as normal, giving everything within his capabilities, and last but not least our returning Shark Jake, he showed great endeavor with his running and ball carrying, and hard game back for him but pleased to have him back in the fold regardless.       
So we move onto next week our last game before Xmas, so fingers crossed we can come away with a positive result and help with our Christmas cheer. 
Once again thanks to my parents for all the effort and support that they are giving to the boys and me. 

​The Sharks were looking to extend their winning run to four games, but was going to be tested today with a number of players being called up for international duty or they were feeling under the weather and under the doctors orders they were sidelined.  Whatever the reasons that these players were not available, I had the confidence that the players we had playing on this cold afternoon were capable of getting the result we needed. 
So the team was as follows, Dylan in goal, Jack, Elliott, Harry, Liam, Giacomo, Josh with the subs bench only consisting of my daughter who was acting ball girl for the game. So it meant that some of the boys would be completing their first full game of the season, so a test for them and Sharks. 
As the game got underway, it was made clear to them that they needed to pass the ball more, as they would tire quickly if they didn’t as the pitch was heavy and very boggy from the bad weather that we had had recently and the amount of games that have been played on it, but it was the same for both teams and we needed to get on with it and try our best. 
The game started well for the Sharks, they took notice and with the first 5 minutes passing quickly the boys were passing the ball around nicely and creating chances, but it was proving to be a bit sticky and an uneven surface that prevented the ball to run as freely as I would have liked. 
Both Jack and Elliott were once again looking comfortable at the back, protecting Dylan well who is growing with each game that is passing.  With the Sharks quick start and possession, the opposition were slowly growing into the game, and causing a few problems for the Sharks.  I more put this down to the pitch being heavy and not being able to freshen the team up when the boys got tired. 
Then the opposition took the lead, against the run of play if I am being honest, the ball broke down our left hand side, with Liam trying to recover his position on the left of midfield they managed to get a cheeky shot off that lobbed up in the air and over Dylan into the back of the net. This was a bit of a body blow to the lads as they had started the game so well. and I feared that due to the pitch and no subs the Sharks were going to run out of steam or try to force for an equalizer that would leave gaps at the back for the opposition to exploit. 
But I didn’t have to wait long for the Sharks to draw level, through some gritty play from Gaicomo, Jack and Harry.  We managed to force the play and create some good space that was used perfectly.  The ball was played out wide by Giacomo (who was now seeming to embrace my request that he pass the ball more and then look to get it back in a better position rather than trying to dribble the ball through the team) He passed to Jack who made a good run up the right hand side, exchanging passes with Harry before crossing the ball into the box, after some confusion, the ball fell to Giacomo who gratefully lashed the ball into the back of the net giving the keeper no chance. 
 
 
Now the game was level, and we had managed to pull ourselves back into the game.  The Sharks appeared to look for another chance that would give us the lead. With not many chances presenting themselves we had to try and be patient and support each other, because the game was there for the taking.  A glorious chance fell to Josh, but unfortunately he slipped just as he was about to take a shot on goal, a shame because that would have been a well worked goal and team effort. 
The first half finished and the boys still seemed to have energy in their legs, which was a positive sign, I would normally make some changes to try and give the boys a break but unfortunately this could not happen, so we took to the field for the second half with the same players looking to take the game to the opposition and try and take the lead for the first time in the game. 
Again, it was a matter of trying to be patient, and we would get the reward that we deserved, it is like the big bad wolf and the three little pigs, we had to keep knocking on the door in the hope that something will give and the ball would end up in the back of net. 
As we were half way through the second half some chances fell to the Sharks. Liam had a great shot saved by an impressive opposition goal keeper, Giacomo had another one saved well, and Harry also managed a shot that tested the keeper. But a special mention for Dylan, he managed to turn over a great shot, his reactions were great, it is good to see that his goal keeper training is paying off. 
The game started to get a little scrappy, and wayward. With a few fouls that could have been avoided, I believe that this was down to frustration creeping into the lads as they stopped encouraging each other and passing the ball and tried to do everything themselves.  This lead to the opposition retaining the ball in dangerous positions and getting more chances than I would have liked.   
The game came to a close level, I believe that the Sharks had the better of the play, and if we would have maintained our passing and kept doing the right things, we would have probably come out with the victory that we deserved, but we were still happy to remain unbeaten and we can look to put things right next week. 
Once again a massive well done to the lads, the effort they showed could not be faulted it was a hard game on a pitch that is more suited to a mud bath than a football pitch. Also a big thank you, to all of the parents that came and supported the Sharks on the cold afternoon and helped pack away the equipment at the end of the game.  
On to next week now and fingers cross another positive result

​With the Sharks looking to extend the winning streak to three against a strong opposition, confidence was high and the boys were in very good spirts.  Sometimes a little too high, but they were enjoying themselves which is the main thing. 
So the Sharks lined up as follows:  Dylan in goal, Jack, Elliott, Giacomo, Liam, Aidan and Freddie, with Josh, Harry and Caleb starting on the bench.  Unfortunately Jake was still missing but it won’t be long before he is back fighting fit and ready for the Sharks.  
 The game started with both sides being nervy, both trying to gain the upper hand in first exchanges of the game  Both Elliott and Jack seemed comfortable enough, with both lads working well in tandem, with one making the tackle and the other sweeping up behind and vice versa.  It would seem that they have come to a great understanding which is pleasing to see. Dylan is looking more comfortable in goal as the weeks pass.  Aidan and Liam are both learning to hold their positions better which again Is pleasing to see, and Giacomo and Freddie also seem to be developing an understanding too, making runs off the ball for one another; with Josh, Caleb and Harry all coming into the team and making telling contributions too. It all adds up to a strong squad and a fantastic atmosphere, and with the return of Jake next week this will be the icing on the cake. 
The game was about 15 minutes old before the Sharks managed to break the deadlock, and pull ahead.  We managed this through Giacomo, with his energy and enthusiasm he managed to win the ball back in the middle of the park, pass the ball to Aidan who took a player on before attempting to cross the ball  This took a wicked deflection and bounced back to Freddie who passed the ball into space that Giacomo raced onto, he controlled the ball well and took a touch before slotting the ball home nicely. 
With the pitch having been played on twice before our game, it was cutting up badly and making it harder to play football on, but both teams were trying hard, attempting to pass the ball and play the game in the correct way.  The game was finely balanced but the Sharks were managing to contain most of what the opposition was throwing at them, with some excellent performances from Harry, who appears to finding his feet on a bigger pitch now, and will be pushing for a starting place very soon I have no doubt. Caleb as well. He is playing different positions though out the first half but did very well regardless of where he was asked to play. 
The first half came to a close with the Sharks managing to retain a slender lead.  With the short walk to the home dressing room, and a few encouraging words the Sharks took to the field once more looking to build on the lead that they already have. 
Freddie, Harry and Caleb started the Second half on the bench, giving Josh a chance to impress from the start of the half, and boy did he take his chance.  He was full of running, and making a real difference, tackling defenders and putting himself in good positions which was impressive to see. 
With the second half no more than 5/6minutes old Josh struck to double the Sharks lead, with good work from Giacomo, Freddie and Elliott applying pressure after the ball had been played up from the back by Caleb.  The ball was bouncing around in the oppositions like a pin ball machine and eventually broke to Josh who was as cool as you like, passed the ball into the corner of the goal. This lead to wild celebrations from the team management, players and supports alike, as Josh tries so hard every single week and deserves his moment in the spotlight. 
As the Sharks have built up a two goal cushion, it appeared that this relaxed the lads, as we started to pass the ball more and create more chances, with Jack and Elliott now making surging runs from their defensive positions and taking shots from a distance.  These lead to the Sharks getting a corner, not their first of the game but the first of the second half. 
Jack is becoming very adept at striking a dead ball, and he has been entrusted with taking the Shark’s corners this season, he took a wonderful corner which dropped perfectly into the middle of the box, which Freddie managed to get on to the end of, and poke the ball home from close range, this extended the Sharks lead again, putting us firmly in control of the game. 
Before the game finished the Sharks managed to get another goal, this was once again Giacomo, with good work from Freddie, Harry, Caleb the ball got played through the oppositions defensive line, Giacomo raced onto it, and launched a blistering LEFT foot shot into the back of the net, this was even more impressive because Giacomo is right footed and has been trying hard to use his left more, so well done for the effort shown. 
It was now about keeping a clean sheet once more, and to continue to improve defensively, as this is just as important than scoring goals. With the last few minutes winding down the opposition were pushing for a conciliation goal, the Sharks had a few scares with the boys over committing and the midfield not tracking back as much as they should but we managed to hold out for our clean sheet and also score a number of goals too. 
So the win streak continues, and the boys are feeling good about themselves which is a massive boost, I just wanted to mention again how proud I am of the boys and grateful to the parents for their support in packing away and encouraging the boys.  
So onto next week and fingers crossed another victory.